I visited a friend of a friends house for brunch this weekend who recently purchased a brand new million dollar penthouse condo in the heart of the poppin' U street area here in DC. The whole experience has had me thinking ever since. It was a great space (not a million dollar space, but....) and had amazing views as far as the eye could see. Since it was a corner unit, it had windows on two sides instead of just one which made the first floor, and the loft completely bathed in sunlight. I was truly impressed.
I was able to view the architecture on it's own terms and look past the bright and colourful mismatched couches, blankets, candles and pillows (I felt like I was in a skittles commercial). I know furniture is one of those things that are of personal taste. This particular person is a very colourful individual and I would expect nothing more than a cornucopia of colors to be represented in the pillows, the art, etc.. Then, she broke out the paint colors, she's planning to paint the unit....
She excitedly went through every single wall of the house, "Siberian Ice will be here...." and explained all of the flow of the eye from one room to the next. It was so hideous, that I'm sure she had to have noticed my reactions as I cringed at the explanation of where each of these colors would go.... She wasn't very engaged with me from that point forward... As she went through each space: Tangerine orange kitchen walls adjacent to a fire engine red staircase shaft, next to a Barney purple bedroom with a Teal bedroom in the distance..... "and a darker shade of grade here on the fireplace to offset the Siberian Ice on the other walls".... I mean it's not like my girl was using color to accentuate certain parts of the room, she was painting ENTIRE rooms dark purple!!!
So I just sat there, and watched an entire room of non-designers critique, give suggestions, and discuss the merits of the color choices she had made and how nice it's all going to be when it's all done. I wanted to vomit, so I didn't say anything. I realized at some point, that my input would be futile and sometimes it's better to allow others to wallow in their own happy reality then to make common sense out of things... but the whole experience brings to light a serious, serious issue I've realized that affects me, and that is:
Everyone thinks they can do what architects do. Everyone. HGTV has turned everyone into an expert on design, and what people fail to realize is that most of the stuff you see on there is a bunch of shit. Yes, people are entitled to have their own personal taste on what they do or do not like, but THAT DOESN'T MAKE IT RIGHT!!! There are issues of color theory, the way the eye works, the way perspective works, how the circulation through the space works, how light comes into the space, and all sorts of issues to be considered when picking colors for walls, especially if one is going to attempt to use bright / bold colors.
I was sickened to the point, that after seeing how bad her taste was, I didn't even listen to anything else this woman said... (that's some bourgeois shit aint it!!??) THEN, had the nerve to talk about the eroding character of this historic black neighborhood, and pulled out a book to show us all how glorious this area was and came to be known as the "Black Broadway" in the 40's & 50's.... Well do you think they had million dollar penthouse condos at the top of high-rise buildings back in the day too???? ... ignorant shit.....
And I haven't even got started on how we popped the cork on some champagne (Brut of course), and she asked me to poor hers as she held out a martini glass. I said, "Girl, c'mon I know you have champagne glasses, I saw them in your china cabinet" (full of mismatched shit), she just looked at me with this blank stare as if she didn't know what a champagne glass was and said, "But I want to drink it out of this glass!" and proceeded to have me fill her martini glass to the brim with champagne (another no-no for drinking champagne).
Maybe I'm too cultured for my own good. Because there is nothing worse to me than black folks trying to act all cultured, educated and concerned about gentrification of neighborhoods out of one side of their mouth, then they (poorly) imitate the exact forces that are the causes for the things they showed so much concern about...
but then it hit me.... these are potential clients.... I'm going to want the money of these million dollar fools!!!
I can see the dilemma I'm going to face as an architect and I'm going to have to go with my gut, and do what I think is right even if that means being poor. I'm willing to risk not having very many clients, because I wouldn't have people like this as clients for long... I'd have to tell this woman her taste is piss poor. {{{{grabs megaphone}}}} "MA'AM, STEP AWAY FROM THE COLOR WHEEL, STEP AWAY FROM THE COLOR WHEEL NOW!!!"
it became very clear to me that I would be miserable if I had to be a 'whore' and do whatever this woman wanted to do with her starburst infused penthouse. I could be setting myself up for a 'starving artist' existence, and I realize that... maybe once I have a wife and kids that I need to take care of, I'll become more business minded, but right now, I just can't take a job for the sake of making some extra cash.... I just cant...
~C
2 comments:
Integrity is good...gotta hold on to that!
As for the latest trend of people *trying* to be architects, it's similar to how interior designers feel when people make light of what we do (incl.. architects). Like it's simply throwing up some drapes and calling it a day. It's about respecting the craft/art and those who do it professionally. People are entitled to create or destroy their own space if they choose. But I think the problem comes in when those not *skilled* in the profession try to bite off more than they can chew.
No one knows everything.
Oh & I love my people who try to be more than they are (cute).
i guess the field of architecture and interior design alike is like music. That's why I find it amazing that somebody who is so musically diverse as you is not able to place that same openess to design (read: art)because of your training. I've long had a problem with people telling someone else that their taste is "wrong".
Don't misunderstand me, if someone hires you or seeks your advice then they are yielding to your taste which has been bolstered by years of studying and research. But if you are a guest in someone's house as a friend, I think it is extermely pretencious (sp?) for you to start judging thier design decisions.
In that scenario, whether your an architect, painter, interior designer, or motherfucking Michelangelo it doesn't matter! It's her house, man. and those colors make her happy.
I also take exception to 'anonymous' who states that since they are not in an 'unskilled' profession they bit off more than they can chew. She's happy with her selection!!! It looks good to her. Aren't there critics of every architectural structure in existence? Don't even the most reveared structures have thier ney-sayers. Even the most hideous of edifices had to be built by someone who thought it looked good, right?
Your professions are fundamentally based on opinion. I think it is your responsibility to remember that. You should guide the client's opinion of beauty, but never should you try to change it. If work within your profession under those edicts i think you will find that you seldom will have to choose between being poor or a whore.
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